Combination storm window and screen



p 1, 1953 E, 1.. CLARKE 2,650,661

COMBINATION STORM WINDOW AND SCREEN Filed July 12, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet l I I m'o m Edward L. C/amie 1:789. .11 A'TTORNEK Sept. 1, 1953 E. CLARKE 2,650,661

COMBINATION STORM WINDOW AND SCREEN Filed July 12, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 1, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

COMBINATION STORM WINDOW AND SCREEN EdWardLClarke, Scranton, Pa.

Applicati'onJulylZ, 1949, Serial No. 104,222

7 Claims. 1

Myinvention relatesto auxiliary or seasonal window openin installations such as screens,

storm windows, hurricane shutters and'thelike. Storm windows, as heretofore used, and ,likewise hurricane shutters, in addition to single unit screens which are adapted'to fill theentire windowcpening; are verydifficult'to install, and the only practical way of'handling such a job is tooperate from the exterior of the building. This does not poseany considerable problem as to first floor windowopenings, but when such installations are to be made for windows of upper floors,

a ladder is'necessary and the task is .a hazardous one, to saythe least.

It is therefore the primary-object of my invention to provide a storm' window, screen or like structure-comprising shiftably' connectedsece which embodies "relatively movabl sections; and

window frame-carried means for retaining said "sections, or some of them, against-shiftin when the unit has been installed in a window opening.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention willbe touched on or will become apparent as the description proceeds, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings which illustrate the presently' preferred example ofmy inventiveconcept.

It'should be understood, however, that I do not propose to limit myself to specific details of the disclosures of the-drawings because it will be apparentthat the same are susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Inthe drawings, wherein the same reference characters have been used to designate the same parts throughout the several views,

Fig. lis an elevational view of a storm window installation embodying my invention, and taken from .within the building;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2-"-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged-fragmentary elevation z. disclosing the upper portion of the structureas seen in Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view takenon the line t-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but'showing the transom-like upper element at one side-of the storm window in its opened position;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the plane of line 66 of Fig. 3 but showing a screen in the right hand frame 25-;

Fig. '7 is a detail sectional View taken on the linel-J of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective'view' illus trating a sill-carried retainer forseating the-sash window frame section and retaining same against breaking at the center joint'after installation;

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view-correspond ing to Fig. 4 but illustrating auxiliary'screencarrying framessubstituted forthe auxiliary storm window pane-carrying-frames of Fig;- 4;

Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view taken 'on the line lfil9 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a lockingmeans for retaining the-upper framesections'in extension of the lower elongated sections, as in Figs. 1 and 3.

Referring to the drawings by reference char"- acters, and turning-first to Figs. 1 and 2, these viewsclisolose an ordinary two-sash window open"- ing provided by aframe which includes atop member i2, side members l3 and a siI-l member] 4.

Fig. 2 illustrates the side frame members [3 as having the usual g-uideways l5 forthe. window sash (upper and lower) which are not shown inasmuch as they form no part of the present ine vention.

In carrying out the invention I provide duplicate major frame members I5 of elongated'form, each of which is adapted to occupy onehalf' of the width of the window opening to a point sub= stantially shortof the top frame member 12'; as shown in Figs. 1 and- -2.

Each of the elongated frame-members IBhas the inner longitudinal rail ll, outer longitudinal rail !9, bottom rail 58 and top rail 20: Ihe con-. tiguous inner longitudinal rails ll are hingedly connected as at 2| at the interior or room side of the unit so that the frames will be permitted'to break joint outwardly alongthe line of 'the hinges 22 which connect them. This is important when the unit is being installed, as will ,be more apparent hereinafter.

In order to properly seat and. retain the elon-. gated hingedly connected frame sections. [6: in the window frame, I provide the sill M of the a frame with the medially located U-shaped keeper 22 which is adapted to embrace the joint made by the inner longitudinal rails I! of the frames I6 to prevent same from opening. Similar U- shaped seats 23 engage opposite sides of the outer longitudinal frame members I9 of the frames I6, as indicated in Figs. 1, 2 and 7, these seating members 23 being spaced at intervals in the direction of the length of said frames I6. The members 23 are carried by the opposed surfaces of the side members I3 of the window frame. Fig. 2 shows the seating or retaining members 22 and 23 as being disposed outwardly of the outermost sash-retaining groove I so as not to interfere with usual manipulation of the regular window sash. Of course, it will be apparent that only one of the retaining members 23 is necessary on each side.

In the form or expression of the invention shown in Figs. 1-5, inclusive, the elongated major frames I6 which fit in the window frame have seated therein the auxiliary frame 24 which carry the storm window lights 26. The auxiliary frames 24 comprehend side members 25, top members 26 and bottom members 26a, said auxiliary frame members being detachably secured in the major frame members I6 by means of cleats 29; screws, or other securing means 30 being employed for retaining the frames I6, 24 in assembly, as indi-- cated. Cross members 2'! spaced from one another in the direction of the length of the auxiliary frames 24 serve to retain the window lights Of course, a continuous window light may extend from the top 26 to the bottom 26a of the auxiliary frames 24 and the use of several window lights 26 is merely an arbitrary choice for purposes of illustration.

As best shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, each of the elongated major frames I6 of the storm window or analogous installation has pivoted to the top rail 20 thereof a relatively small or extension frame 3|. Each of these small frames 3| corresponds in width to the associated major frame I6 and is of a height or length sufficient to fill the window opening space immediately above the associated major frame I6, it being noted from an inspection of Fig. 2 that the top rails 32 of the small frames 3| snugly engage the inner surface of the top element I2 of the window frame.

The bottom rail of each small frame 3| is designated by reference character 34, while the side rails are denoted by numeral 33.

The opening provided by the smaller extension frames 3| receive transom-carrying storm window frames 36, the light-carrying transom element being indicated by reference character 31 and embodying a frame which is hinged as at 38 to the lower rail of the related frame 36 for inward swinging movement, as best illustrated in Fig. 5.

It should here be emphasized that the smaller or extension frames 3| are pivoted as at 43 (Figs. 2, 4, 5, and 9) to the exterior or weather side of the top rail 20 of the related elongated major frame member I 6. This is so that when the unit is being installed the smaller frame elements 3| may be swung outwardly to overlie the upper exterior portions of the major frame members I6, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

Referring back to the transom elements 31 of Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 5, it will be observed that a chain 39 secured to the inner side of the carrying frame 36 and to the transom element 3'! serves to limit outward movement of the latter.

When it is desired to retain the transom element 31 closed, as in Figs. 3 and 4, the latch 46 which is spring actuated will be engaged with the keeper 4| secured to the top rail 36 of the inset frame member to retain the transom element 3'I closed. A housing 40a mounted on the top rail of the transom element 31 carries the spring actuated latch bolt 40, and a convenient pull chain 42 is provided for releasing the latch when desired.

Cleat-like members carried by the side rails 33 of the small or upper frame members 3| serve to retain the transom-carrying frames 36 in assembled relationship with frames 3|. These cleat-like members 35 correspond to the cleatlike members 29 which are employed for retaining the window-providing auxiliary frames 24 in the major elongated frames I6. The cleat-like members 29, and likewise the cleat-like members 35, will preferably be countersunk so that their exterior surfaces will lie flush with the rails of the related frames soas not to interfere with proper positioning of the frames in the window opening.

To secure the related top small frames 3| to the respective elongated major frames I6, I preferably employ two latch members 44, one adjacent each side of the top rail 20 of the elongated major frames I6. A swingable latch element 46 is pivoted as at 41 to the base or latch member 44 and this swingable latch 46 engages a keeper 48 carried by the plate 49 which is secured to the lower rail of the smaller top frame 3|. Screws or the like are employed to secure the latch plate and keeper 44, 49 to the inner surface portions of the frame rails mentioned (see Figs. 1 and 3). The swingable latch element 46 has a finger piece 46a, as indicated in Fig. 11.

Detailed reference to the drawings thus far has had to do only with the matter of storm window installation. However, Figs. 6 and 9 illustrate the related elongated major frames I6 and smaller extension frames 3| which seat in the window opening as provided with screencarrying inset auxiliary frames 5| and 5!), respectively; and it will be obvious that imperforate storm window panels could be inserted in said elongated major frames I6 and related swingably connected top frames 3|.

Installation of one of my units is readily made. The operator lowers the top sash down all the way and stands up on a chair, and with the major frames I6 buckled outwardly and the smaller top frames 3| hanging downwardly, as indicated in Fig. 2, about hinges 43, he projects the unit through the space left by lowering the upper sash. Manipulation of the unit is facilitated by the chains 54 each of which, as shown, is formed in a loop of suflicient size to accommodate the hand and wrist of a person, permitting the hand to grasp the top rail 20 of a major frame section, the chains being secured to eyes 53 in the top frame rails 26 of the frame 25.

After the unit I6, I6 etc. has been projected out beyond the line of the outermost sash guideway (see Fig. 2) it is a simple matter to engage the bottom rails I8 of major sections I6 with the U-shaped seat 22 and to actuate the side rails I9 into the U-shaped seats 23. This having been done, the small extension frame members 3| are pulled upwardly about their hinges 43 to fill the opening provided by the window frame, and the latch chains 42 can be availed of to assist in this latter operation. When the smaller extension frames 3| have been disposed in prolongation of .i the related major frames It, the latch elements it are swung into engagement with their keepers t8 and the installation is complete.

When summertime comes it is possible, as will be evident, to remove the auxiliary window lightcarrying frames 24, it and replace them with the auxiliary screen-carrying frames 50 (see Figs. 6 and 9) whereupon the unit is re-installed as before.

It should be observed that the length of the flanges of the U-shaped seats 22, 23 is suiiiciently long to overlie the storm window light-carrying auxiliary frames 2% or the screen-carrying auxiliary frames 5! so as to cooperate with the cleat elements 29 in retaining the same in place while at the same time retaining the unit in the main window opening.

As will be apparent, and in line with what has been mentioned earlier herein, the disclosure of the drawings may be varied considerably without departing from what is claimed hereinafter.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A foldable section storm window or the like adapted to be installed in the opening of a window frame from the inside of the room comprising in combination a pair of elongated major frames of equal length and alignably disposed edge to edge, said major frames being shorter than the length of said window opening and having side, top and bottom rails, means hingedly connecting the adjacent side rails of said major frames at the inner or room side thereof, whereby to admit of said major frames being buckled outwardly toward the weather at said hinge-provided joint, said major frames being disposable in a common plane to close the window opening widthwise to a point short of the top thereof, a pair of smaller window-light carrying frames hingedly connected to the respective top rails of said elongated major frames at the outer or weather side and being of a width corresponding to the width of the related major frame, said smaller frames adapted to lie against the outer or weather side of the upper portion of the related major frame when the storm window is being installed from the interior of the room, cooperating means associated with the smaller and major frames for holding them in the same plane to close the window frame opening, and window frame-carried means for retaining the storm window in operative position, one of said window frame-carried means engaging the hingedly connected inner side rails of the major frames to prevent same from buckling when finally positioned in the window frame opening.

2. A sectional and foldable storm window or screen-carrying structure or the like for insertion in a window frame-provided opening and comprising a pair of elongated major frames, said major frames being of equal length and shorter than the length of said opening, hinge means connecting adjacent longitudinal edges of said major frames, an extension frame pivoted to the upper end of each of said major frames and cooperable with the latter to fill said window opening, major frame guiding and retaining means carried by the opposite sides of said window frame and projecting into said opening, U-shaped retaining means at the lower end of said window frame and engaging opposite sides of both of said major frames at the hingeprovided joint whereby to prevent relative swinging thereof when installed in said opening, and cooperating means carried by said major and extension frames for releasably locking the latter in plane with said major frames.

3. The combination set forth in claim 2, and separate auxiliary panel carrying frames for each of said major frames and extension frames and selectively mountable therein, and each of said major frame guiding and retaining means having an extension overlying at least one surface of the adjacent auxiliary frame.

4. The combination set forth in claim 2 and separate auxiliary panel-carrying frames removably seated in each of said major frames, each of said major frame guiding and securing means having portions overlying opposite surfaces of the adjacent side of one of said auxiliary frames to help retain it assembled with the related major frame.

5. In a frame-provided window opening, a screen or storm window insert structure com prising in combination, a pair of elongated major frames arranged edge to edge and being of equal length, means hingedly connecting said major frames together at their meeting edges for outward buckling movement of said connected edges, a pair of smaller extension frames hingedly connected at their outer surfaces to the respective outer surfaces of the upper ends of said major frames for outward swinging movement, and separate or auxiliary panelcarrying frames removably seated in said major frames and in said extension frames.

6. The combination set forth in claim 5, and combined retaining and guide means for said major frames extending into said opening from opposite sides thereof, and major frame engag ing means carried by the lower end of said opening for retaining the installed major frames in a common plane.

7. The combination set forth in claim 5 and hand grip-providing means carried by the upper end of at least one of said major frames at the inner surface thereof for facilitating lowering of said connected major frames to operative position in the window opening While admitting of swinging of said extension frames to operative position to close the upper end of said window opening.

EDWARD L. CLARKE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,511,881 Gibson Oct. 14, 1924 1,668,701 Strasser May 8, 1928 2,205,353 Flynn Jun e 13, 1940 2,242,541 Paul May 20, 1941 

